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Neighbors seeking answers for fallen tree
Monica writes in:
Just wanted neighborhood to know that there is a huge tree branch falling behind 2910 East Broad Street. Went down on August 27, 2013 and is still slowly falling. Very dangerous!!! It will come down and when it does, masts and wires are coming down, too.
Dominion Power, Verizon, Comcast all said “not our problem”. The city came out and said “verizon needs to move the wires, then we can cut the branch down”. Verizon says they can’t do anything until the City of Richmond moves the branch. So, no fire truck or ambulance can go through… garbage pickup will probably try and will hit it, then the workers may have a branch fall on their head.
Teenagers are swinging on one of the lower branches, so it might fall on them. One mast has already been pulled over by at least a foot and no one cares. Please caution the public that there is a hazard in the alley. I really wish someone, somewhere cared enough before someone gets hurt.
It appears that a large branch has cracked, and is indeed leaning on a series of wires. There is maybe 10 feet of clearance between the branch and the pass-through of the alley.
Broken limb resting on wires
Piece of a branch rubbed by wire
I’ve got the same problem. Tree on the vacant lot adjacent to mine is on the power lines connected to my house. VA Power won’t do anything. And I’ve used SeeClickFix 5 times!
Dont the property owners have to take care of limbs? Like call an arborist or something? Thats what I thought…
I spoke to the Manager of the City’s Urban Forestry Division this morning. The tree is on private property so it isn’t the City’s job to prune it. The arborist has sent it to code enforcement for them to deal with the property owner. Concerned neighbors should contact code enforcement about the situation.
But what do you do on a vacant lot where the property owners are dead and the next of kin are dead? Then, the city needs to do the work and bill the estate.
The City Of Richmond told me it was my responsibility to get the appropriate company onsite to have the wires removed so the tree limb can be taken down. The City moved the Street light power above the broken limb even though both poles are in danger of breaking if the limb comes down on the line. The limb is currently being supported by a Verizon phone cable . Verizon has been here about three times, each time referring it back to the City or to the Verizon Engineering department. Do you want me to just drop the limb?
Will you take responsibility for the resulting damage and replacement of the telephone poles? I have called a few tree services but the wires seem to be an issue for them.
Urban Forestry did say (Tuesday 9-3) they would be here last week, have not seen or heard back from them. We have been trying to get this taken care of since last Tuesday.
JoeO,
you are right. It feeld like running in circles with the authorities. The strangest part is that Verizon people are out in the alley right now connecting NEW!!!! Fios cables to the line where the tree limp is hanging on. Unbelievable!
From what I’ve seen there has been some clean-up of the fallen tree, but I wouldn’t expect the homeowner to take care of something like this themselves, and no arborists are going to take the risk of working with the power lines. The city and the owner of the line need to take the intitaive to coordinate the clean up.
I did ask the Verizon tech (all the linemen have been very courteous and helpful) that is currently adding additional Fiber (FIOS) lines to the pole that is pulled out of plumb by the branch why they would put additional wires on the stressed pole. He was not sure but had called Verizon Engineering and they told him they were aware of the situation and to continue.. Verizon Engineering has been advised (repeatedly) and without any way to access Verizon Engineering (not a Verizon customer), it is making it very difficult to get an answer.
Verizon has sent a tree crew and they have taken down the branch hanging on the wiring. The Verizon crew was great. Now to getting the mess up.
This is clearly the property owner’s issue. The tree should have been maintained in a manner that would prevent issues such as this. Frankly, he’s lucky he doesn’t get a bill from Verizon for equipment damage and their time and expense incurred by dealing with this tree. Maintain your yards people!
Neighbors Unable to Get Tree Limb on Wire Removed
http://www.wric.com/story/23382548/neighbors-given-run-around-on-tree-limb-hanging-on-wires
i’m glad you were able to get it resolved. getting the run-around from the city and utility companies is the worst…and it happens all the time.